I'm not sure this has to be true.
To clarify the original post, my target is a single player campaign, that *might* be played in coop.
The vast majority of video gaming is played single player. I would suspect this holds true for DCS, although I have no data to back that up. Let's assume this is a fact. If so, the dollars lie in single player.
DCS is doing a number of things right. Fantastic planes are coming in fast, the 2.5 update offers incredible visuals and VR. Oh yes, VR.
(Isn’t this the holy grail of video gaming? Being able to fly, drive or walk all on a multiplayer server in VR? Isn’t this the dream of Star Citizen that so many people bought into?)
I digress. The complaint against scripted campaigns is based on the historical fact that most games offer that one campaign and that's it. With the mission builder, DCS might allow folks to download a brand new story every Friday night for the low price of $10.
The mission builder is damn close to allowing this. The market offers excellent incentive for highly imaginative people to put in an effort.
Yeah, that's huge.
Video gaming 101. The radio is good. This matches the emails and story vehicle of games from System Shock through Prey.
The x:set command action is also good. As a builder, I can take control of the user plane and do what I will with it, including showing other views. During mission, I could add spice.
I would have to program each and every keystroke to allow this though, including flight! Pretty damn hard to use. Please make something simpler, or perhaps there is another way for in-mission "cut scenes" I don't know about. //edit
Mission briefing is sorely lacking. Need voice, and some video capabilities. Let me set up context!
That's about it. Not so much.
DCS is all about excellence. Of course you will skip story if it sucks. That's not what we are talking about. Success is keyed off excellence, and the difference between a worthy effort and excellence can be so small.